Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Several powerful auras appeared in the sky, layering together to exert immense pressure across ten thousand zhang. Every cultivator at the Divine Transformation Realm and below lost the ability to fly. If not for companions pulling them up, they would have fallen out of the sky.

The bustling crowd fell silent. Everyone looked up in unison. Countless faces paled, wondering who would be so bold as to intrude on the Southern Heavenly King’s birthday party.

The elder in charge of welcoming guests widened his eyes.

Cao Zhennan’s father, Cao Weiyi, was there as well. He was an early Illusory Refinement Realm cultivator with gray hair held back by a white jade hairpin, clad in luxurious white robes. His cheek twitched, and he squinted up at the sky. The outsiders were unfamiliar to him, but undoubtedly powerful.

Cao Weiyi’s mind raced. He sent out word about what was happening, straightened his clothes, and slowly walked forward. His face was covered in wrinkles, his eyelids drooped to triangles, and although his eyes were murky, they shone with intelligence.

He gave a fist salute and smiled. “Haha. Apologies for not giving you a proper welcome, seniors, but may I know who you all are?”

The other cultivators who had come to send their wishes sighed in relief. Few Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators had attended today, and most had assumed that was the limit of the Southern Heavenly King’s connections. They figured the important celebrities had finally arrived, four powerful Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators at once.

Cao Weiyi thought the same, but then Cao Zhennan’s confused voice reached his ear. “Four powerful Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators? Hmm... That’s not right. The people who should be here are already here. If more were coming, I would have known. Father, lead them inside first. After the other guests have settled down, I’ll come immediately.”

Cao Weiyi gave a small smile, beaming with pride. With four Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators present at Cao Zhennan’s birthday party, their image had grown considerably.

The other cultivators offered a chorus of praise.“Hahaha. The Southern Heavenly King’s birthday party is grand, as expected. So many powerful cultivators have arrived!”

“I agree! I hear that out of the four heavenly kings, the Southern Heavenly King is the most likely to succeed the current Black Sect territory lord’s position.”

“Maybe the true purpose of this birthday party was to show the other heavenly kings just how many people support him.”

“Yeah! Didn’t you see all the factions from the Western and Eastern Territories here today?”

“Heh. Some things are better left unsaid. The title of a heavenly king doesn’t mean anything...”

Another man quickly covered the youth’s mouth in a panic. “Are you trying to get us all killed? Fuck off!”

The people around them turned pale and looked away quickly, as if they did not know each other. They were all terrified that someone had overheard.

Buzz!

A powerful spatial ripple spread in all directions. The crowd of cultivators around bowed, which was the most basic gesture of respect toward powerful cultivators. They were curious who had arrived to visit Cao Zhennan.

Cao Weiyi hurried over, hoping to get closer to the visitors. Then suddenly, an arm radiating ghost qi tore through the sky.

Cao Weiyi’s chest tightened. Malicious intent. He retreated without thinking. Vital force surged through his body, and he shot out a burst of flames. Endless black flames appeared behind him, absorbing all the energy in his attack and forming into a solid wall.

Boom!

The Ghost Arm grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall of flames. Cao Weiyi’s defenses had crumbled like paper despite his vital force shield and the sealed space around him. Cao Weiyi stared at the golden-haired youth in shock. The youth’s vital force was far superior to his own.

His eyes widened. He raised his left hand to crush a scroll, but a thick blood-red spear pierced through his palm and nailed it to space.

“You!”

Ye Feng narrowed his eyes, straightened his fingers into a blade, and slashed across Cao Weiyi’s cheek, slicing off nearly half of the old man’s face. Cao Weiyi’s jaw hung open, and his tongue had been torn out.

Terrifying flames closed in on him, turning into a black, flaming coffin that stood vertically in the sky. Within the coffin of Yin Hellfire, Brilliant Sunset Flames burned. Cao Weiyi screamed in agony, banging against the coffin walls, making everyone present shudder.

A pitch-black tear opened in the sky. A youth in purple-black lightning armor walked out with a large, black sword coffin on his back. Beside him stood a girl in an ice-blue dress, her face covered with a white veil that revealed only her ice-blue eyes. She held a treasure sword, its blade covered in flowing light. The moment she appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and snow began to fall.

The crowd held their breath at the sight of the golden-haired youth holding the coffin. He wore white robes, the right side of his face looked demonic, and his right eye shone with an eerie red light. His right arm, entirely black, held the flaming coffin with casual ease. He had trapped an early Illusory Refinement Realm cultivator in a single move.

A handsome youth with a blood-red spear stood beside the coffin, wearing a smirk and an arrogant expression, as if he were someone who answered to no one.

Four Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators, all bearing malicious intent. Everyone retreated quickly, stopping only when they were more than a thousand zhang away. They felt restless, as if ants were crawling over their hearts, desperate to know who these people were and why they had come.

“They’re terrifying. That creepy guy trapped Cao Weiyi in just one move! Such frightening strength!”

The more experienced cultivators stared in shock, murmuring, “Four Illusory Refinement Realm cultivators, all under thirty years old? Where did these monsters come from?”

“Yeah! Are they Cao Zhennan’s enemies? Hmm, do you think the recent rumors are true?”

“Hehe, today is not going to end peacefully. They’re clearly hostile...”

Boom!

Ripples formed in the air, and a furious roar shook the land.

“Who dares disturb my birthday feast!”

Then blinding blue flames appeared.